Cheesy Saucy Pea and Ham Pasta Bows

February 22, 2013

Made with Love

My operation had left me feeling down, drowsy and weak. I could not cook my partner the special meal I had planned and I was distraught. I show my love through my food and I really wanted to demonstrate to my partner how far I had come in my cooking journey. He told me that he knew everything I did for him was out of love even though I was still frustrated I felt deep down he was right. So I made him a much more humble dish than the feast I had originally planned. I made him a poor man’s pasta dish with the food which was available to me. (Too sick to venture to the market.) The first meal I ever made my partner 3 years ago was probably the worst dish ever made in the history of student kitchens. I made him over cooked pasta with chopped tomatoes and roughly chopped cheese. That’s it! I didn’t even season the pasta or the sauce. I just plonked the sauce on top of the pasta! It was so humiliating! Especially when he cooked his first dish for me a week later which was this incredible chicken stew with perfectly seasoned and cooked basmati rice. This pasta meal was my way of saying “3 years my darling and together we can achieve great things.”… To this day we still laugh about that meal. Thank God he didn’t judge me from that. I used my special occasion pasta and used kept it healthy by adding lots of vegetables. The melted mozzarella complimented the sauce and provided a bit more body to the meal. A really easy tasty Italian inspired meal.

1. Boil the pasta in salted water.
2. Drain when cooked.
3. In the meantime heat the sunflower oil in a large pan over a medium heat.
4. Fry the onion and garlic until soft.
5. Add the butter and melt.
6. Add the peas and sweetcorn.
7. After 5 minutes add the ham slices.
6. Stir in the tomato sauce and chipotle paste.
7. Season to taste with the black pepper.
8. After 5 minutes stirring occasionally add the mozzarella and the drained pasta.
9. Stir until the mozzarella has melted into the sauce.
10. When the pasta has been heated through divide onto plates and serve.